Behind The Scenes Of A Summer Cosplay Photo Shoot

(Ed. Note: The multi-talented Luis Correa goes by the name Crash: The Photos as a photographer.)

Lady Yumie Cosplay can be summed up in one word – incredible. During a recent photo shoot, Lady Yumie debuted her new casual Sailor Neptune costume. The cosplay combined the timeless look of Sailor Neptune with a more realistic approach and interpretation of her daily attire that almost crossed the line into realistic fantasy.

The photo shoot took place at Jennings Beach in Fairfield, CT, on a weekend where attendance was low, which allowed for a casual, low-stress photo shoot. The entire setup required less than ten minutes to do as most of the equipment was portable. Both Lady Yumie and I surveyed the beach beforehand to find good locations away from the people on the beach while also maintaining a respect for the rules and regulations mentioned upon entering.

The locations on the beach were of a varied type meant to provide different backgrounds for the character that Lady Yumie portrayed. A focus had been placed on the narrative that Neptune had intended to visit the beach to have some relaxation time. The entire shoot took about two hours which included some travel time and post setup along Long Island Sound. The only off limit area had been the marina which required a permit and boat to access. Some of the shots required that I enter the water to capture the proper angle among the rocks which had just recently been abandoned by a couple of kids who were playing among them. The tide had begun to come in at that time so there was a constant battle with maintaining a steady shot as waves struck me in the back and often threatened to knock me and my equipment into the water.

Lady Yumie and I had never worked together before, but we both came to the shoot positive and with plenty of ideas. With a background relatively easy to work with, integrating elements of the character as well as capturing the grace that a water-based scene offered was done with ease. Despite some of the challenges presented by the setting, such as sharp rocks and me wading into water, the photo shoot’s products are ones that look as if they were captured with relative ease.

The cosplayer, Lady Yumie, is from the city next to the beach and has been cosplaying since 2009. She said she keeps her friends close in gratitude when it comes to cosplay, often obtaining help and guidance from those more experienced to combat her learning disabilities that make sewing difficult. Mental illness affects her greatly, Lady Yumie told me, but she uses cosplay as an escape — a way to center herself, and a coping mechanism. Coming from a low-income area, cosplay can be hard, but Lady Yumie said she believes in hard work and pushing the limits life sets for you to produce a product like this photoshoot. Turning dreams into reality is how she defines cosplay.

With a simple outfit and prop, one photographer and cosplayer were able to put together a photoset that hopefully embodies both the character and the experience of the shoot.

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